FOOTBALL: Southern League players banned from football betting

PLAYERS at the likes of Chippenham Town and Frome Town will be banned from betting on any matches anywhere in the world from next season.

The ruling was ratified at the Football Association's AGM on Wednesday and will apply to any player in the top eight tiers of the English league system, including those involved in the game at Premier League, Football League and Football Conference levels, as well as the top two divisions in each of the Northern, Southern and Isthmian leagues

It replaces the current rules which only banned players from betting on competitions in which their club was involved.

Tottenham winger Andros Townsend, Newcastle's Dan Gosling - who is to join Bournemouth next season - and Cameron Jerome, who played on loan at Crystal Palace from Stoke last season, are among those to have been found to have breached current betting regulations.

Players will also be prohibited from passing on inside information to a third party who uses that information for betting.

The FA confirmed the ban would start from August 1 and also cover betting on new managers or player transfers.

It said in a statement: "A worldwide ban on betting on football will come into force from 1 August 2014 for certain participants in English football.

Related links

"Participants covered by the ban will be prohibited from betting, either directly or indirectly, on any football match or competition that takes place anywhere in the world.

"The changes to FA rules from the start of the 2014/15 season will also effect a worldwide prohibition on betting on any other football-related matter. For example, the transfer of players, employment of managers or team selection. The passing of inside information to somebody that uses the information for betting remains prohibited."